We partnered with Darling Magazine to bring a strong group of #AerieREAL women together for a weekend full of self-discovery and inspiration. For 3 days, 21 women from all over the world shared their stories and bonded through group workshops, family-style dinners and adventures to the beach. We talked, we laughed, we cried… and the love was REAL!

We started each day with a little flow and a lot of fuel. At morning yoga, we set an intention for our practice: clearing our heads, finding balance, dedicating the time to someone or something. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you find a little peace of mind, and yoga was a great way to kick off days full of conversation and self-reflection.

“The power of women brought together to simply love and be… two words: pure magic. Find your girls and love them hard.” – Alexis Jones, founder of two powerful movements: I Am That Girl and Protect Her.

Fall was right on time for this cozy weekend. We snuggled up for daytime workshops focused on identity, positive self-talk, intuition and belief systems.

“If you’re currently struggling with something, look back and try to find where that fear originated from. If you can recognize it, you can OWN it, and you can rise above it.” – Cassey Ho, aka @blogilates, creator of POP Pilates and PIIT28.

So much love for these Darling and #AerieREAL ladies!

“So much can change in a year friends. In a CONVERSATION. In a moment. We are all changing and learning and becoming. And the journey is long, and hard… and painful. But above all, it is BEAUTIFUL. It is redeeming. And it (and YOU!) are WORTH IT.” – Blogger Alex Michael May

We are filled with gratitude for this amazing group of women, and hope for what we have the power to accomplish together. Want to recreate your own retreat? Get your friends together and get talking. Together we can all make the world a better and brighter place.

It’s our eighth year partnering with Bright Pink®, and our first year meeting their new CEO, Katie Thiede. We got to know Katie and what Bright Pink means to her— read on for our interview and find out how YOU can get involved with Bright Pink.

I was first introduced to Bright Pink a few years ago by connecting with Bright Pink founder, Lindsay Avner, over our shared passion for women’s health and I’ve been in love with the organization ever since! I cheered on the organization from the outside for years and couldn’t be more thrilled to now be on the inside leading us into our next chapter.

Why does Bright Pink’s message resonate with you?

I’ve spent more than a decade working in women’s health for organizations that exist so that women can live their best lives because I believe, and research has shown, that when women are healthy and strong, families are stronger, communities are stronger, and ultimately the world is a better place. That said, despite having worked for years in the field of women’s health, it wasn’t until I met Bright Pink that I became armed with the tools and resources I needed to shift my own awareness into action. I can now stand here and tell you that I no longer feel afraid of what might happen and I feel more in control over my breast and ovarian health and my own future than ever before.

Why is it important for girls and women to become educated on breast and ovarian health?

Research suggests that early adulthood is a critical time to adapt healthy lifestyle behaviors that will last a lifetime and we know that a woman’s risk for breast and ovarian cancers accumulates over her lifetime – so reaching young women at this pivotal point in their late teens, 20’s, 30’s and 40’s is the perfect time to educate them on their breast and ovarian health and to guide them in developing healthy habits that will enable them to advocate for their health.

How does Bright Pink encourage others to take charge of their health?

In my mind, there has never been a better time for women to be their own best health advocates. The health care landscape is shifting almost on a daily basis, and people have so many questions. We can be an amazing translator for women, and amidst all of these changes, prevention has to be a top priority for us. Our approach specifically is to empower women to know their personal risk of breast & ovarian cancer and manage their risk proactively by practicing self-awareness, risk-reduction, early detection, and partnering with a trusted health care provider. Bright Pink’s digital tools, such as AssessYourRisk.org and Breast Health Reminders™ were created to make advocating for your health as easy as possible. And we’re so grateful Aerie is committed to getting these tools in to the hands of women too! Text AERIE to 59227, and Bright Pink will text you reminders to give your breast health the attention it deserves all year-round!

How can girls get involved with Bright Pink?

Bright Pink is always looking for passionate young women to get involved as volunteers or ambassadors and to help support our mission! We have 150+ ambassadors in 38 states and hope to grow that network over time so we can reach women all across the country with this life-saving education. Another great way to get involved, practice a healthy lifestyle, and fuel our mission is through Team Bright Pink, a community of 3,000 men and women who commit to run, lift or play while raising funds for Bright Pink. There are opportunities for everyone, from novice to elite athletes. We’re recruiting for the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and more, so considering championing our mission by joining our team! And of course, chat and connect with us on Facebook: @BrightPink Instagram/Twitter: @BeBrightPink.

Give two #AerieREAL girls a blank wall and a few days, and they’ll make a masterpiece! When we realized our SoHo Pop-Up was in need of a little something extra, two of our graphic designers made it happen. Most days, Nicolette and Brittany work on the beautiful Aerie designs you see in print, but this time we asked them to PAINT! They worked for two days (and nights!) straight to create an amazing, free-hand mural inspired by our Fall 2017 photoshoot.

Read on and find out how they turned their idea into a full-sized mural that shows #AerieREAL in all its beauty.

What was the inspiration behind the mural you designed?

B: The inspiration for our mural was the beautiful landscapes in Kenab, where our Fall photoshoot took place. We took inspiration from the lines, curves, tones and overall diversity of the earth’s landscape that so beautifully, and, in a way, artistically depict some of the different characteristics that make each one of us unique!

You hand painted it from start to finish! Tell us about the process.

N: Brittany and I gathered different photographs from the shoot, all including various landscapes, colors and shapes. We studied these and used them as our inspiration while we hand-drew an outline of what we were envisioning for the mural. We then scanned these onto the computer and began adding in colors inspired by the color palette of the Aerie Fall products along with colors found in nature. We matched these colors to real paint colors and once we drew the outlines on the canvas, used them to fill in all of the white space and began to see the mural come to life!

B: I have to say, this was definitely a first for me! My entire life, I had been artistically inclined and painted and drew as a hobby, however I had never painted anything larger than 18” x 24”, let alone a mural!

How is #AerieREAL reflected in your designs?

B: We incorporated the characteristics that we found in our shoot that we felt closely resembled some of the different characteristics our bodies have: different curves, different shapes, lines, stretch marks, wrinkles, freckles, tones. We truly believe that these are things that should be embraced; if they are beautiful in art and nature, then they are beautiful on our bodies.

What advice do you have for aspiring graphic designers?

N: Don’t ever hold back your creativity. Always be on the lookout for inspiration. When I visit new places and cities, I soak it all in and let it inspire my work. Design trends are never-ending, so I always make sure to do research any chance I get. It’s amazing how much you can grow as a designer with time and practice.

B: Graphic Design is a rewarding career. You can do what you love, while also communicating a positive message (such as #AerieREAL!). That being said, it can be very competitive and the best advice I could give is to stay #AerieREAL and not compare yourself to fellow graphic designers, in the same way you should never compare your body to someone’s else’s body. There will always be amazing designers. There will always be great ideas you wish you thought of. But that gives you the opportunity to admire, rather than compare. I would also advise I would give is: practice, practice, practice. The more projects that you do, the more you will develop your skills. xoxo.

Sundays at Spring Street are all about self-love, girl power and REAL fun. No Sunday scaries here! Our series starts 9.10, and we’ll be bringing you Sunday fundays most weekends for the rest of the year.

Help us start our Sunday series with a sweat sesh! Join SVP of Aerie Design and Power Pilates Instructor, Andrea, and her son Isak, Personal Trainer and 3x Marathoner, for a FREE mashup HIIT (high intensity interval training) and pilates class!

Andrea is a passionate Aerie Design leader and a certified Pilates trainer. She is in love with an active lifestyle, and as a true #AerieREAL girl, she is a big supporter of loving yourself and embracing your imperfections. Andrea currently lives in Greenwich, CT with her husband, two kids and their dog. Isak is a sports management student with a focus on fitness and wellness. He has a personal training and group fitness business in Greenwich, CT and is building fitness and wellness influence in his community with big goals for his future. Isak encourages everyone to be active, enjoy life and be proud of who they are.

Work it out then shop it out! The class runs from 11-12, then from 12-1, talk with Andrea about her must-have Chill. Play. Move.™ leggings over brunch treats. Shop and get a free tote with any purchase!

At our SoHo Pop-Up on 9.28, we celebrated a day dedicated to Bright Pink® & you!

All day long, we’ll be matching 5% of all Aerie sales in US stores & at Aerie.com (up to $50,000) in donations to Bright Pink®. You’ll also get FREE Bright Pink® customization with any purchase.

Later that night we had a Brighten Up® workshop with a Bright Pink® Ambassador. All of those who participated received a free notebook! We also offered a FREE yoga class with Jules from Om & THE CITY as well as sips & snacks!

Jenna wants to talk about what YOU are most interested in, so she’ll be tailoring her Real Talk to the #AerieREAL girls in the crowd. Get ready for an open discussion that’s meant to empower & inspire! To sweeten the day, we’ll have macarons from Dana’s Bakery. After Jenna’s Real Talk, shop with her and get a FREE tote with any purchase.

We kicked off the official start to summer the best way we knew how to: celebrating our #AerieREAL girls and our Chill. Play. Move.™ collection at Solstice in Times Square: Mind Over Madness Yoga! Did we mention it was also International Yoga Day and National Selfie Day? Yep. OHM-amazing.

We kicked off the AM and got in the #AerieREAL mindset with a Real Talk by Aerie Role Model, Iskra. Then one of our fave NYC yogis, Kathryn Budig, took the stage for a wellness segment about body positivity followed by a quick meditation.

Between each yoga class throughout the day, thousands of attendees were invited to visit Yoga Village. At the Aerie tent, we celebrated with flash tats, a photo booth and a peek at our latest Chill. Play. Move.™ collection.

Aerie x Solstice Sweepstakes winner Katie brought BFF Andi to NYC to celebrate the start of summer! The two spent the day enjoying yoga classes, meditation and wellness in Times Square.

Partnering with these amazing women was an easy decision for our brand. Like the beautiful images in the All Woman Project, all Aerie images feature 100% unretouched women. Beyond no retouching, #AerieREAL is our commitment to empowering and inspiring confidence in all girls, inside and out.